Accolades for Our Financial Advisors

Investment News Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors awarded to Carson Wealth (2018 & 2019). InvestmentNews recognizes standout employers in the financial advice industry. These firms, ranging from small practices with fewer than 20 people to large companies with hundreds, invest in creating a work atmosphere and culture that attracts the best employees. The annual list of top firms is compiled by Best Companies Group through online employee and employer surveys. The collected information is combined to determine the strengths of each of the firms that voluntarily participate in the program and each workplace is ranked on this data.

Barron’s Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors: Awarded to Paul West (2018-2022). Over 4,000 advisors who wish to be ranked fill out a 102-question survey about their practice, data is then applied to a ranking formula. The ranking reflects the volume of assets overseen by the advisors and their teams, revenues generated for the firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. The scoring system assigns a top score of 100 and rates the rest by comparing them with the top-ranked advisor. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client.

Financial Advisor Magazine’s Fastest Growing Firm awarded to Carson Wealth (2019).  RIA ranking candidates are ranked by AUM of the previous year. To be eligible for the FA Magazine RIA ranking, firms must be independent registered investment advisors and file their own ADV statement with the SEC. They need to provide financial planning and related services to individual clients. Firms were measured and ranked by their growth in assets under management from 2017 to 2018 to determine the top 50 fastest growing.

The InvestmentNews 40 Under 40 awarded to Aaron Schaben (2019). Investment News 40 Under 40 project aims to reveal the potential in the financial advice industry by finding often unrecognized young talent doing remarkable things. The winners were chosen from a pool of almost 1,000 nominees by a panel of reporters, editors and other representatives of Investment News, to make a list of 40 talented individuals. Nominations are accepted for professionals from all sides of the financial advisory industry, including registered investment advisers, registered representatives, financial planners, brokers, insurance agents, certified public accountants, bank trust officers, firm executives and those working for industry organizations. Investment News determines nominees’ eligibility for the 40 Under 40 list based on the following criteria: accomplishment to date, contribution to the industry, leadership and promise. No fees are paid, participation is free. Listing in this publication is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.

The InvestmentNews Women to Watch awarded to Teri Shepherd ((2018). The list is based on the following criteria: Demonstrated success and leadership in the financial advisory industry; Proven ability or power to effect change in the industry; An exhibited willingness to share her expertise with others in the field, including by serving as a mentor or role model to other female professionals in the industry and speaking at industry events; Has given back to her community through activities such as sitting on boards, volunteering and donating time to help investors. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client.

The Financial Times Top 300 Financial Advisors: Awarded to Carson Wealth (2019, 2020). This is an independent listing produced by the Financial Times. The FT 300 is based on data gathered from firms, regulatory disclosures, and research conducted on behalf of the Financial Times by Ignites Research, a Financial Times sister publication. The listing reflects each advisor’s performance in six primary areas. The factors are: 1. Assets under management; 2. AUM growth rate; 3. Years of experience; 4. Compliance record; 5. Industry certifications; 6. Online accessibility. Neither the brokerages nor the advisors pay a fee to the Financial Times in exchange for inclusion in the FT 300. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client.

Forbes Next-Wealth Advisor: Awarded to Grant Nieland (2020). The Forbes ranking of Next-Gen Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors with a minimum of seven years’ experience and weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience, and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. Research summary as of 32,000 nominations received, based on thresholds – 15,571 invited to complete online survey – 12,372 telephone interviews – 2,488 in-person interviews at Advisor’s location. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client.

Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor: Awarded to Paul West (2018, 2021). The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors with a minimum of seven years’ experience and weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience, and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. Research summary as of 37,725 nominations received, based on thresholds – 15,854 invited to complete online survey – 13,114 telephone interviews – 2,085 in-person interviews at Advisor’s location, and 619 web-based interviews. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client.

Barron’s Top 1200 Financial Advisors: Awarded to Michael David (2021). Over 4,000 advisors who wish to be ranked fill out a 102 question survey about their practice, data is then applied to a ranking formula. The ranking reflects the volume of assets overseen by the advisors and their teams, revenues generated for the firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. The scoring system assigns a top score of 100 and rates the rest by comparing them with the top-ranked advisor. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client.

Investopedia 100 Top Financial Advisors of 2022: Awarded to Paul West. Advisors who wished to be ranked self-submitted or peer-submitted answers to questions compiled by Investopedia. Rankings were determined based on number of followers and engagement on social media, primary contribution to professional industry websites and their focus on financial literacy. An advisor’s ranking on this list does not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results, nor a guarantee of future investment success.Barron’s Top RIA Firms: Awarded to Carson Wealth (2021) Barron’s rankings are based on data provided by over 4,000 of the nation’s most productive advisors.